Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation

Working in Solidarity with the Onondaga Nation

Jesuit Well

JESUIT WELL
Thought to have been used
By the Jesuit missionaries of
Whom Father LeMoyne was the
First Visitor in 1654. Called
Bitter spring by the Onondagas

Erected by Syracuse Chapter S.A.R.
And the State of New York 1933

Problematic issues

The capitalization of the phrase "First Visitor" is similar to the use of the
phrase "First Settler. It suggests that the French Jesuit was the first visitor of
any consequence to this area. In actuality, as the center of the Haudenosaunee
Alliance, the entire area around Onondaga Lake has been an important center
of governance and commerce for centuries. Long before the Europeans
arrived, people from many indigenous nations would have come here to trade
and to negotiate diplomatic relationships.

Location

On Old Liverpool Road, behind LeMoyne Manor, Liverpool, NY

Significance

This replica of a well is reputed to be the place of the spring where Father Le
Moyne in 1654 drew water and identified the bitter taste as salt.

The Onondagas did not use salt as a preservative, they had other methods of
drying, preserving, and storing food.

In Europe, salt was used as a major preservative. Le Moyne immediately
recognized the potential commercial value of the salt for European colonists
and the Jesuits chose this location for their first mission.

Le Moyne's identification eventually led to the development of the salt industry.
The potential commercial value of the salt contributed to the zeal with which
the European-American revolutionists sought to displace the Onondaga from
their territory.

Indigenous Place Names for Site

The Onondaga word for this place was translated as "bitter spring".

Circumstances of Marker Placement

The site of the well was uncovered during a WPA project in the 1930s which
included the construction of a "French fort" marking the site of the 17th century
Jesuit mission. As part of that project, the well was rebuilt. Both sites were dedicated in August16, 1933 with a large parade and pageant. The dedication
of the well commemorated the role of the Jesuits in recognizing the potential
commercial value of the salt to European colonists, which ultimately became a
contributing factor in the development of the city of Syracuse.